Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#130 in the Series) is Mike Rutherford, Smallcreep’s Day. OK, it’s time to go a little more obscure.  Not as much obscurity in the artist, but in the material chosen. Smallcreep’s Day is the first solo work by guitarist Mike Rutherford.  Rutherford is known, of course, mainly for his work with Genesis.  But like all members in that band, he’s done work outside the group. His main solo project that he’s known for is Mike and the Mechanics. They had some popular songs in the mid eighties. “All I Need is a Miracle” and “The Living Years” being the best known of them. Smallcreep’s Day was more of a progressive album as compared...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#129 in the Series) is UFO, Force It. I haven’t featured a good old fashioned, rock and roll album for some time.  So here it is for you, UFO,  Force It. A good ‘play it loud, listen to the scorching guitar, rock and roll classic album. UFO was an 80s metal band that featured some of the best players of that era.  Michael Schenker on guitar.  Phil Moog, Vocals, Andy Parker, Drums. Pete Way, Bass.  Chuck Churchill was a guest musician that added, and for the first time, keyboards on a UFO album. Force It was the beginning of a three album run that, while quite popular, also marked the beginning of the end...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#128 in the Series) is Nils Lofgren, Nils. Nils is the sixth solo album by guitarist Nils Logren, and and the fourth studio release. Nils came to prominence as a member of Crazy Horse and before that, Grin. He’s been a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street band for over 25 years. Nils was my favorite for a number of reasons but mainly for No Mercy. No Mercy is a boxing song written from the viewpoint of the victorious boxer as he feels sorrow for his soon to be defeated opponent.  It’s quite the unique song. But there indeed many great pieces of music here.  Others include I’ll Cry Tomorrow, and a great...

    “First Man on the Harvest Moon!” – Stephen Dalrymple NBC News were the first to report the death of astronaut Neil Armstrong, which is obviously a huge story, but in the frenzy to get the first full story up on their website they made a mistake in their headline. They originally reported the death of ‘Astronaut Neil Young’. NBC News first reported Armstrong’s death in a tweet . That’s where most people first heard the news. Armstrong’s wife Carol told NBC’s Jay Barbree about her husband’s passing  and that’s how word got out. Barbree broke the story, and he’s getting praised  for it. In the minutes after, the NBC News website was frantically trying to get their story up. In their haste, a mistake was...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#125 in the Series) is Ultravox, Vienna Ultravox was one of my favorite bands in the 80s. Great albums, great live shows. I was lucky enough to see them at the Aragon Ballroom when they toured a few years after this release. They were out on the road for “Quartet” when I saw them. A real interesting show. EVERYTHING was gray. The guitars the backdrop, the amplifiers, the guitar chords, the drums, the clothes. I don’t know what they were trying to say, but the music was superb! “Vienna” housed some of Ultravox best songs. “Quartet” had the hottest single, ‘Reap the Wild Wind’ so it sold the most. But give me “Vienna.”...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#126 in the Series) is Grateful Dead, Terrapin Station. You hardly ever hear people mention this album when they talk about the Dead, well maybe a little but it doesn’t get it due. What Terrapin Station is known for is the full sided title track that is side two. The sixteen plus minute song, and one that was performed in it’s entirety many times by the band. It’s broken into six parts: –Lady With a Fan –Terrapin Station –Terrapin –Terrapin Transit –At a Siding –Terrapin Flyer –Refrain Two songs on side one did get some actual airplay. They were Bob Weir’s ‘Estimated Prophet’ and their take on the traditional favorite “Sampson and Delilah.”  “Dancin’ in...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day is Tom Waits, “Blue Valentine.” What a piece of music this one is.  I just love Tom Waits.  This is yet another example of the album I love is the tour I saw. I can’t remember the name of the place. But there was a little roadhouse between Merrillville + Valparaiso, Indiana where I saw this tour.  It had to be in 1978 or ‘79.  The opening act was Leon Redbone who had laryngitis that night and did everything instrumental.  He then held up a ‘thank you’ sign after every song. TW does an amazing version of ‘Somewhere” from West Side Story as an opening number on this album. It’s truly a remarkable...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#115 in The Series) is Prefab Sprout, “Steve McQueen” (or as it was called in the United States, “Two Wheels Good.” There’s a good chance that you might not be familiar with this band, but let me tell ya, they’re real good! This is the first time I’ve had a release with two different titles. But Prefab Sprout was not allowed to call their album entitled “Steve McQueen” do to a legal conflict. It was called “Two Wheels Good” here in the US. Many great tracks here. ‘Faron Young, Bonny, Appetite’ and the single that you might know, ‘When Love Breaks Down.’ Prefrab Sprout was from England. This album peaked there at #21...

Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#113 in the Series) is Little Feat, Waiting For Columbus. We usually only have studio albums in this blog. No Greatest Hits packages either. But today is going to be different. Today is Little Feat, Waiting For Columbus. It’s quite possibly the best live album ever. (Note: since this was originally published we have indeed begun covering live albums, but still no greatest hits packages.) I do so for sad reasons. Little Feat drummer Richie Hayward passed away yesterday from liver cancer. He will be missed by masses. He was a wonderful musician and according to those that knew him, a wonderful person. What always amazed me about Waiting For Columbus was Richie’s drum...

  Today’s Cool Album of the Day  is NRBQ’s Grooves in Orbit. This one really fits the bill as NRBQ Grooves in Orbit is indeed a very ‘cool’ album. This one finds the worlds greatest bar band at quite possibly their creative peak. It runs end to end with many tunes that stayed in their live show for years. Decades even. Side one starts with the perfect, “Rain at the Drive In.” A song about a couple that loves to go to the drive in when it’s raining because it’s easier to get the windows to fog. How can you beat that? Just the fact that it’s about a stinkin’ drive in makes it cool! One of my other...